The Diego Diaries: "There's combat in the system." (dd8 293)

=0=Around

It was a ghost town in the Metro Districts as the cityformers sat in their spots hooked into the live chat on the deck of Optimus Prime's vessel, the Supreme mechanism Omega. They were linked together to their 'squad' commander, Fortress Maximus in Autobot City. The metros down from Temple were prepared to transform their upper stories to provide gunnery support if the enemy got this far. The eleven newest cityformers in the 'Elevens' district as the locals called it were also linked in. The Eight Ball, the series of eight titans long here following an arduous traverse were on standby.

The Watch Patrol going through the cities using scanner tech from the Emergency Command Center at Fort Max was looking for stragglers and finding none. Some of the areas were still feeding refugees below and others were locked down and secured. The odd Public Works or Watch vehicle rushed by with sirens running, also looking for stragglers. It would be a mostly fruitless search, thankfully.

=0=The Valles National Parkland of Autobot Nation

They heard the same thing and contacted the ranger stations that were located around the vast wilderness area of Valles Marineris National Park. The rangers were helping individuals to enter a series of highly secured caves that were located midway in the park for use for such a problem as this.

All around the huge area families were heading to safety, some hiking down with help and others using runabouts that brought them there. When they landed rangers would commandeer the vessels and search for those climbing down the steep trails and in the far reaches. They would clear the park here and the big one in the crater of Olympus Mons in short order.

Out on the long winding roads of the TransWorld Highway ships were searching for truckers, vacationers and others who were driving it to pick up and return them to the colony. It would take a while but everyone would be found. Those who were driving vehicles would abandon them where they were found. It would be a forlorn sight to see.

=0=Autobot City Medical Center, Autobot City

They managed the last several patients downward including those who were either in surgery or scheduled. There was a vast complex of a hospital in the shelter underground, one equipped to manage the patients that would be delivered to the safety below. All over the colony in rest homes, convalescent centers, mental hospitals, nursing homes and private hospitals, the same was ongoing. Everyone would be delivered to safety and protection.

=0=Going out

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe sat side-by-side on their shuttle, one which had lifted off from the Forward Base at Enceladus. It was among those who were first to respond and the surprise had been complete.

"SUNNY!"

Sunstreaker glanced up from his console to check out Sideswipe who had half risen from his seat as he stared incredulously at his monitor. "What?"

"THERE'S A BATTLE GROUP IN THE SYSTEM!" He glanced at his brother. "They just showed up on screen."

A klaxon went off as everyone bent to their consoles confirming what Sideswipe at Tactical had discovered. The in-system alert was sent and the motions ongoing would begin with the fighting units of the three forward bases in system heading for the anomalies. Sideswipe would be the first one to spot them here.

"What do you think? They have weird tech," Sideswipe said quietly.

"We have numbers," Sunstreaker said. "We have families and friends back there, elders and the like. They aren't getting through."

It would be quiet on the shuttle as they flew furiously ahead of the armada still arising from Mars toward the enemy.

=0=Prime

He sat on the navigator's seat on the flight deck of Omega Supreme listening to intel from everywhere directed to him from Xantium where Prowl was working feverishly to coordinate a hard swift offense. Data coming in from the dishes and sensor units throughout the system was giving a grim picture of the size and number of ships that Paladin fielded. Given they were in relatively constricted space the fighting would be epic if it came to that.

Nothing in Prime said it wouldn't. "Prime to Prowl."

:Prowl:

"What is the final estimate of their power?" Prime asked.

There was a momentary pause, then Prowl was back. :I'm sending the estimation to you now:

Prime stared at the console where the first detailed estimation of the armada was forming on the screen before him. He read it, then sat a moment in thought. "Prowl, tell the forward base shuttles to slow down and wait for us. I do not want us separated. Put Plan 3B in motion."

:Understood: Prowl replied.

As he did Prime watched a number of ships peel off from the starboard and port sides of their massed response. They disappeared from sight but not off the sensor screen. They would also be apparent to Paladin as well. Prime intended that they would be.

The ships fled forward utilizing the fastest speed allowable in the system, one that would take under three joors to reach the solar well. The ships coming in from the outlying bases would cut off that route for Paladin, one he couldn't take without a fight.

Prime sat tensely as they continued onward.

=0=Pentagon

Glenn Morshower sat in the situation center of the Global N.E.S.T. Initiative. Prowl was sending him real time data to keep him informed as around him sat the leaders and general officers of several countries that were N.E.S.T. signatories. The Secretary General of the United Nations was here as well.

The big screens around them stretching everywhere in the vast room showed different aspects of the armada heading toward Paladin. It was a strange tense encounter for everyone.

"What do you know about this group's leaders?" a general from France asked Morshower.

Glenn glanced at him, then decided to tell the truth. "He and his second are phase six mechanisms."

Intakes of breath at that news could be heard from the assembled group. "The last time there was one of those in the system we nearly were overtaken. Those things can't be beaten by normal means. Correct?" the general asked.

"That's correct. However, Prime has the codes that put them down and he will use them when the moment appears ready." Glenn glanced at the general. "Understand. There was never an army nor a leader like this one. He will get the job done."

It was silent in the command center in Virginia for a while.

=0=On Omega

Prime glanced at Blaster. "Open a channel to the group, Blaster."

Blaster nodded, switched Prime in, then glanced at him. "You're live."

"Battle group, this is Optimus Prime. Who is your leader?" he asked.

A moderate calm voice came over the system. :I am Paladin. I do believe, Orion Pax, that we know each other from the past:

"I am aware of you, Paladin. I want you to understand that the system you are entering is a highly secured fortress. You will be destroyed if you do not leave now." Prime felt his ire rise. The image of his genitors and children came to him and he pushed them down ruthlessly.

:I'm afraid that won't be possible, Prime. We've come a long way and we plan to stay. We won't mind taking over your base and making it our own. We're aware that Ominous and Razorclaw are here as well. One at a time, its all good for me: Paladin said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You and your second are phase six mechanisms. Is he there as well?" Prime asked.

:He is. I'd introduce you but we're busy: Paladin replied.

Prime considered that, then spoke it. "Reset: Pi-Orion-Actual-Orbit. Enable."

The screen came on and the handsome face of the big mech could be seen. The moment that Prime saw him he remembered Paladin. As he saw him in the flash of the moment the big mech and the one behind him stiffened. The one standing, his second fell to the floor. Paladin sagged, then slumped forward. Around them the mechs watching looked alarmed.

Prime felt relief flood him. The head of the rattler was cut off. He stared at the others coldly. "I will require your surrender. Now."

A chuckle started, then Paladin sat back up. Behind him, his second stood up with a grin on his face. Paladin sat back confidently. "We know about Megatron's insurance program and we had the chip taken out. You can't put us down with your code."

The fury that Prime felt could almost, ALMOST be seen on his face.

=0=Elsewhere

Springer and Drift walked out of the Emergency Command Center to their horses ground hitched nearby. Pausing by them, they glanced around.

"I'll tell ya, hoss, when Prowl gets back we sit down to talk," Springer said as he mounted up.

"The best he'll do is one of us goes and the other stays," Drift said as he climbed aboard his horse as well. He was still waiting for Yancy to be fit to patrol again.

"The twins go together," Springer said as they began to ride down the middle of the street toward the Metro districts.

"That leaves Bluestreak. If you want to add another body to the bond we can have our leeway," Drift said.

Springer grinned. "I would but Cliffjumper is taken."

They rode off into the night chuckling as all around them the empty cities sat silently.

=0=Ratchet

He sat on Kappa listening to the show. Prime had played their ace card and the slaggers had trumped him. They found out somehow and removed Megatron's last shackle. They'd have to be put down the hard way this time, slagging it out servo to servo.

Around him doctors and nurses waited. They would bridge casualties home to the shelter hospitals where they could be given the care they might require. He'd had a forlorn hope that they could do this without much trouble but that went out in a cocked hat with the discovery that Paladin was smarter than the rest of his Warrior Elite colleagues.

This had gotten just a whole lot harder all at once.

=0=Cord

He sat at his station hooked into his kids. There were 43 mechs and 2 femmes who were coming with him. He'd organized plans to escape ensuring that they would be on four shuttles as crew. He was given the job of forming the lists for the four smallest battle shuttles they had. These were heavily modified and very, very fast. What they lost in size they made up for in speed, firepower and agility. It would be his call when they'd break off and defect. But all the kids with him were ready to go. Now he just had to wait.

Cord turned over the code Hercy had given him in his processor. It was one he'd use to identify them in the mob. He would also send as much information as he could to disrupt the ships, frequencies that would spin gyros and crash computers in his own armada. It'd be enough he hoped for the Autobots to get the upper hand against Paladin and show they were on the side of the angels.

He sat in his place in the line up with three other small shuttles waiting for the chaos to begin so he could play his part, then lead his squads away to safety. It was a nerve wracking wait for everyone.

=0=Prime

"We came here in force, Paladin. We have titans, Supreme mechanisms and enough firepower to destroy you down to your component parts. We are not going to allow you to come closer," Prime said.

"We don't have to ask, Prime. We can bridge in," Paladin said as he confirmed Prime's worst fears. "In fact, we're late now." He turned and gave his command to the pilot, then a blast of bright light filled the screens of everyone there. When it dimmed, the armada was gone. The only thing there were four small fighter shuttles.

"PROWL! WHERE DID THEY GO!?" Prime said as he rose with a towering rage.

Prowl's face appeared on the screen with a stricken expression. "They've … THEY'RE IN ORBIT OF MARS, OPTIMUS!"

=0=TBC 11-4-2021 HBJ